Division of Forestry Contains Fire in Saltery Creek Drainage

Emergency services contained a fire in the Saltery Creek drainage last week, about 15 miles south-southwest of the city.

Division of Forestry fire management officer Howard Kent in Soldotna said they received a report of a five acre fire from the Women’s Bay volunteer fire department on Thursday.

“We sent our helicopter – type two medium helicopter with pilot – and then we chased with a chase plane four of our firefighters out there and the fire ended up being 91 acres in size, burning grass and alder and light brush.”

Kent said there were no man-made structures in the fire’s path.

He said the flame probably spread due to the terrain – there was a 300 foot elevation at the bottom of the fire and 1,500 foot elevation at the top.

“The slope was estimated to be 100 percent slope and the wind pushing that up the hill, of course it seemed like it was a pretty nice day as well, so it doesn’t take long for those grasses to dry out with a little bit of wind and a little bit of sunshine.”

He said they believe the fire to be human-caused and accidental, and that they can’t reveal any more until they complete their investigation.

As of Friday afternoon, he said the fire was 60 percent contained, and he said they hoped for full containment by the end of shift that day.